Meatjack

Often compared to Neurosis, Meatjack emerged as an alternative metal trio entrenched in the Baltimore, MD, rock scene from the early '90s onward. The group delivers music that turns brutal, ferocious, noisy, and dissonant, subjecting audiences to sensory assault while also weaving in melodic passages that feel dark and eerie. Having absorbed a broad range of heavy sounds, the band reflects an affinity for everyone from Slayer, Metallica, Saint Vitus, and Black Sabbath to industrial agitators like Godflesh and Skinny Puppy. Its aggression surfaces at contrasting speeds, drawing from the high-speed intensity of death metal, thrash, and grindcore yet also shifting into a doom metal-like crawl. Exploring these varied corners of the metal spectrum yields an unpredictable listening experience.

Meatjack originated in Baltimore when Jason Daniloski, handling bass, vocals, and guitar, joined forces with his brother Brian Daniloski on guitar and vocals; drummer Eric Dixon later joined the lineup. Throughout the mid- to late '90s, the trio's tracks surfaced on assorted compilations while the Daniloski brothers issued additional material on 7" vinyl. Six years after the band's formation, 1999 finally brought a full-length album when Meatjack signed to At a Loss Recordings, the small independent label based in Eastlake, CO, and recorded its debut, Trust. The following year, the Prank label issued a split CD shared with Damad. Also in 2000, the Trust track "Upstart" appeared in John Waters's film Cecil B. Demented, whose soundtrack featured artists spanning Moby to Liberace. At a Loss issued the band's second full-length album, Days of Fire, in 2003, the same year Meatjack marked its tenth anniversary.